Lone Canary Winery a Highlight of Spokane Tour

For the next three weeks I’d like to take you to some Spokane wineries that I visited last month. First up is Lone Canary Winery, with winemaker Mike Scott at the helm. Scott’s 2004 Sauvignon Blanc (about $10) is one of the better wines of this varietal that I’ve tried as of late. It exhibits lots of melon flavors and a gentle, citrus finish. At this price it’s an absolute steal.

Red wine offerings include the generically named non-vintage Red (about $13), 2002 Rouge (about $20) and 2003 Rosso (about $20). But don’t let the names fool you. Each of these wines is a beautiful blend of three varietals with generous and complex fruit flavors.

My favorite of the three is the Rouge, a combination of Cabernet, Merlot and Cabernet Franc that displays dark plum flavors backed by a touch of mocha. Spicy oak notes on the finish are accompanied by soft tannins. Delicious!

For future reference, look for the 2005 Barbera, which will be released next year. I was fortunate enough to try one of the last bottles on the planet of the 2004 vintage, which has already sold out to the public. The ’04 was an explosion of berry flavors. Hopefully the ’05 can follow in its footsteps.

Scott’s take on his own wines may be viewed as brash by some and self-confident by others. He notes that if we don’t like his wine to, “bring it back and I’ll drink it.” Not to worry, Mike. Your wines are terrific. We’ll help you drink them.

Lone Canary wines are available in the wine section of local grocers or can be ordered online at www.lonecanary.com.